User identification system for automatic vending machines

Abstract

User identification system for automatic vending machines, being useful in all types of coin-operated automatic vending machines, and especially in cigarette vending machines and slot machines, which are provided with a control and operating system controlled by a microprocessor in such a way that the user identification system comprises the inclusion of a chip-type card ( 3 ) reader ( 2 ) with electronic memory and a fingerprint detecting device ( 4 ) in an automatic vending machine ( 1 ). The reader and the device are connected to the electronic control and operating system of the machine itself, whose chip-type cards ( 3 ) include, stored in their memory, at least one fingerprint of the holder of the card.

1 . User identification system for automatic vending machines, being useful in all type of coin-operated automatic vending machines, and especially in cigarette vending machines and slot machines, which are provided with a control system controlled by a microprocessor, characterized in that the user identification system comprises the inclusion of a chip-type card ( 3 ) reader ( 2 ) with electronic memory and a fingerprint detecting device ( 4 ) in an automatic vending machine ( 1 ), the reader and the device being connected to the electronic control and operating system of the machine itself, whose chip-type cards ( 3 ) include, stored in their memory, at least one fingerprint of the holder of the card.  
     
     
         2 . User identification system for automatic vending machines, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the storage of at least one fingerprint of a holder on the corresponding chip-type card ( 3 ) with electronic memory is controlled to store fingerprints only of authorized users.  
     
     
         3 . User identification system for automatic vending machines, according to claims  1  or  2 , characterized in that in order to identify the fingerprint of a user, the user will insert his chip-type card ( 3 ), with at least one fingerprint stored in its electronic memory in the reader ( 2 ), at the same time that he places the finger corresponding to a fingerprint stored on his card on the fingerprint detecting device ( 4 ), which will proceed to read and compare said fingerprint.  
     
     
         4 . User identification system for automatic vending machines, according to claims  1  or  3 , characterized in that the chip-type cards ( 3 ) with at least one fingerprint of the holder of the card stored in its electronic memory, can include other details of the holder of the card.  
     
     
         5 . User identification system for automatic vending machines, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the fingerprint detecting device ( 4 ) itself includes a memory in which at least one fingerprint of all the possible users of the machine have been stored, in such a way that when a user is going to make use of the machine the fingerprint detector will compare the user's fingerprint with the fingerprints stored in its memory.  
     
     
         6 . User identification system for automatic vending machines, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a chip-type card ( 3 ) with electronic memory can be shared by several holders of the card, the card ( 3 ) including in its electronic memory at least one fingerprint of each one of the holders of the card.